An Interview with Ethan Levine From Drexel University

Photo Credit: Ethan Levine

I interviewed Ethan Levine who is a Sociology professor at Drexel University. I asked Professor Levine how to make sure the career you are moving into after college is right for you. I wanted to know whether or not college prepares you for the “real world.”

What advice would you give a your students or new young professionals, who are entering the work force right after college?

Ethan: “First, perhaps, I would encourage people to think broadly and creatively about what kinds of work might suit them. When it comes to entry-level positions, it's not always crucial that the degree "match" the field. If you were a communications major but you'd like to work in a social justice or social services agency that seems to be recruiting people with degrees in psychology and "related fields," go for it anyway. … Be ready to establish/defend your qualifications. Personally, I struggle a lot with this. I have a tendency to downplay my own background and accomplishments, and shy away from anything that feels like boasting. This is particularly important for people who are a bit shy, introverted, and/or have been socialized to avoid celebrating their accomplishments. … Many workers face pressures to conform to various standards of "professionalism" in their fields. It's also important to note that workers' performance and professionalism are not evaluated equally. For example, women who teach college classes consistently receive worse student evaluations than men, regardless of teaching ability/quality. Whatever field(s) you wind up in, whatever pressures you face there, whatever aspects of your identity and background intersect with performance evaluations - I encourage you to really think about what feels right for you. It may be that conforming to those standards to the best of your ability is the right move. It may be that rejecting those standards allows you to feel more comfortable and authentic.”

Sometimes we are told or rather feel that college doesn't necessarily prepare us for the real world, but more so the experience we have outside college prepares us more. Is there something you do in the classroom specifically that helps students prepare for the real world?

Ethan: “Totally agree that college, in itself, doesn't give you all the tools you'll need for the "real world." That is something that I try to address in my classes in a few different ways, … I often push students to take ownership of individual projects, with multiple deadlines and considerable flexibility in terms of content and scope. Although those exact experiences won't likely be duplicated elsewhere - most of us don't have to write research proposals or critical literature reviews after graduation - the experiences of designing and completing a project, and really holding ourselves accountable to deadlines and externally imposed criteria, do transfer to a range of fields.”